TR / FR

    The tour of the site begins in the entrance area, where the two entrance buildings (the South, no. 1, and East, no. 5, Propylons) are situated; between the propylons lies the little Doric Building, (no. 2) which was probably a well-house. Here are also the remains of the East Bath and the East Church (no. 3); a hypostyle hall (no. 6) can be seen to the south-east of the church. Opposite the South Propylon, where one enters the sanctuary, is a 7-meter-high wall (no. 7) with three large openings to oblong rooms, and to the left of this wall is the 12-meter-wide staircase that leads to the upper terraces.

The tour described here may be useful for those who want to have a quick idea of the site. The building numbers in this description can be found on the site map. A description of a more detailed tour with a visit to each separate building follows in the next sections, The remains.

A bee-hive tower near the road. These towers, erected in recent times, protected the bee-hives from the bears.

    The tour can be completed by a visit to the scattered remains of the ancient race course, the Stadion, the western end of which is situated ca. 300 meters south-west of Andron A. One can either proceed westwards along the path that runs immediately above the Temple Terrace for some 200 meters and then continue to the south-west along a straight path down the slope to the western end of the race course, which is constructed of ashlar masonry. The western end of the race course can also be reached from the main road. A little over 300 meters to the west of the entrance to the site, a wide stony path leads up towards the middle part of the Stadion, which is reached after some 100 meters. The eastern end of the Stadion, situated ca 200 meters to the east of the western end, is less easy to reach.

The north wall of the propylon area (no. 7) seen from the south.

       Above those wide stairs the tour continues with the middle, or Andron B, terrace, which is bordered to the north by a retaining wall, in the centre of which a well-house (no. 12) with three low columns on the front is inserted. At the western end of this terrace can be seen the building called Andron B (no. 8), which was used for ritual banquets during the sacred feasts. Below the Andron, to the left, lies the so-called Andron C, (no. 9) the function of which is uncertain, and the unexcavated remains of the 2nd to 4th-century AD South Bath (no. 10). To the right of Andron B there are a few steps that by a passage along the northern side of the andron lead to the Terrace House  (no. 11) with a series of rooms now used for storage. Further on to the west, at the end of the front wall of the Terrace House, a narrow staircase built in 1960 leads up to Andron A and the other buildings on the Temple Terrace.

Andron B from the east. Two column drums show the position of the front. The preserved window belongs to the left part of the entrance wall.

    Before proceeding to the uppermost terrace, it is, however, advisable to retrace one’s steps from the Terrace House and proceed some 100 meters east of Andron B to pay a visit to the East Stoa (no. 13) at the far eastern end of the sanctuary area. This stoa had a columnar front with 17 columns and behind the colonnade 6 spacious dining rooms for important participants in the sacrificial feast.

Returning from the East Stoa towards Andron B, the Temple Terrace is best approached from the east by ascending along the eastern end of the Well-house Terrace (no. 14), to the north-east of Andron B. On the Well-house Terrace one sees a line of gneiss columns, which belonged to the southern front of a Roman two storied stoa (no. 14). Along the back of the same terrace runs the 2-meter-high retaining wall of the Temple Terrace. By continuing up the slope, one reaches the eastern end of the Temple Terrace. In this area the ancient entrance to that terrace was probably situated.

    Before entering the Temple Terrace, one can continue a few steps further north to a little spring house (no. 15) with a source of excellent clear water. It is situated under the huge split rock, which may have been the inspiration for the establishment of the cult to the Karian sky god, whose name, translated to Greek, was Zeus. At the eastern end of the Temple Terrace, near the Spring House, is a partly excavated building with two rooms of uncertain function. It may have been a well-house. The Temple Terrace, which follows to the west, is bordered on its northern side by the North Stoa (no. 16), which is of the 2nd century AD; but it was originally built by Maussollos in the mid-4th century BC. Only the front of the stoa has been excavated. There were similar contemporaneous stoas also on the southern and eastern sides of the Temple Terrace, architectural marbles of which are still lying around.

At the western end of this open space, which was lined by statues, bases of which can still be seen, stood the 4th century BC Temple of Zeus (no. 17). Only the foundations of the temple and parts of the marble steps and floor are still in situ, but column drums are marking its perimeter. Continuing to the space behind the temple, one can next visit the Oikoi Building (no. 18), a two-room structure with four columns on the front.

The temple terrace from the east. In the foreground an exedra and a column of the North Stoa; in the background the Temple of Zeus, surrounded by columns drums, with Andron A behind

It may have had a function as a treasury. To the left of it stands the best preserved building at the site, the so-called Andron A (no. 19), which until 1948, when the Swedish excavations started, was believed to be the Temple of Zeus; it was considered unique as a temple because of its large windows.

  Returning to the Spring House under the split rock, one can from here continue up the slope to the Built Tomb, which was probably built in the second half of the 4th century. From here it is possible to continue climbing to the top of the hill, where one can see the remains of the impressive Akropolis Fortress, which was surrounded by eleven defensive towers; it was probably also built in the 4th century BC.

The split-rock see from the west. The cuttings in the top are setting beds for rectangular stone blocks, showing that a small tower once crowned the western part of the rock.

View of masonry at west end of Stadion.

The high retaining wall for the eastern end can be seen from the road, about 150 meters from the entrance to the site, and perhaps the easiest approach to this end is by a direct climb from the main road. At both ends starting blocks are preserved, but it is not easy to identify them, since almost all are turned upside down. This is, however, the only stadion in Anatolia where starting blocks have been found at both ends. The distance between the starting blocks is just over 170 meters, but the distance remains approximate since the blocks were not found in situ.

    Returning to the main road and proceeding some 100 meters towards the west, one can see to the left of the road, beyond a one meter- high wall, the most well preserved stretch of the 8 meters wide, ancient Sacred Way, paved with large gneiss blocks. According to the geographer Strabo the sacred processions coming from the town of Mylasa were conducted on this road. For the spring houses, the tombs, and the five fortresses that have been discovered in the vicinity of the Milas road.

Foreword    Chronological table    Map of the Sanctuary    Glossary    Annual reports    The Team    The Sponsors    Exhibition    Contacts

All texts and pictures are ©